


Clear to Grey

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: (It's why it's an M my dudes), Enemies to Lovers, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, References to Drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-06-29 08:13:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15725472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: Jack Morrison was happy. He led a good life, in a good home, and in a good job. His happiness was about to end when he was assigned a new mission: marry Gabriel Reyes, go undercover in a suburban neighbourhood, and find information against the local drug baron. The only issue was, Jack would have to uproot his life and move in with a man he could not stand.Maybe he should have quit when he had the chance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HOLY SHIT OKAY so here I am with my second stint in the [Reaper76 BB](https://reaper76bigbang.tumblr.com). Can't believe it's been a year since the first one, you guys. I like to think I've improved since then (pleaaaaase don't read that I'll die). But that's unimportant.
> 
> I'd like to thank my artists! First is these two from [Alex](http://lexsartsies.tumblr.com/post/177135034598/my-pieces-for-the-r76-big-bang-i-got-partnered), then we have these two from [Bonni](http://bonnini.tumblr.com/post/177140511193/these-are-the-two-illustrations-i-made-for). I've honestly been blessed, you guys.
> 
> Then I'd like to thank [Tye](http://perichat.tumblr.com) for enduring this fic. She's honestly dealt with so much whining since February, only to top it off with betaing for me. Honestly, thank you.
> 
> And finally, a big shoutout to [Spenser](http://twunkadelia.tumblr.com) for inspiring the hell out of this fic. Without him, this wouldn't exist.
> 
> I'll be updating this every Saturday and Thursday until I'm out of chapters.

Jack Morrison liked to think he was a simple man. Give him beer, his daughter Lena, and his home, and there was nothing that could bring him down. Nothing, except for Gabriel Reyes.

He wasn’t sure what it was, maybe Jack had come across the wrong way, or just gotten off on the wrong foot. Whatever it was, Gabriel didn’t like him, and as time passed, the feeling became mutual. Jack had given up being polite to him, didn’t speak to him much at work, leaving him to his own devices.

Jack and Gabriel were, at face value, complete opposites. Jack wore a close shave. Gabriel liked his stubble. Jack wore light clothes. Gabriel wore dark ones. Jack had light hair, and Gabriel had dark. Gabriel was an ass.

Jack, he admitted to himself, was also an ass.

Luckily for him, this was just his working life. At the end of the day, Jack could just shrug it all off and relax at home with his favourite girl. No matter what sort of tough day he had, he could count on her bright smile to perk him up. He sent the babysitter off home, usually leaving her with a small tip, then got started on making dinner. Then, they would watch TV together, before Jack tucked her into bed.

This was his nightly routine, and he wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Jack could do this over and over again for the rest of his life, and he would have been happy. He loved his daughter, and he loved spending time with her. He didn’t need anyone else in his life, not until Lena was a little older, perhaps.

At work, Jack was idly surfing the internet. Should he have been doing work? Yes, definitely, but that wasn’t going to stop him from goofing off a little. His emails were all read, bar one from Genji, but he didn’t want to know what on Earth that could have been. Instead, he worked on doing literally anything else.

So when he was pulled into the boss’ office, he groaned. This was Jack’s own fault for goofing off, instead of working. When he walked in, he saw Gabriel, and Jack frowned. Of course, he was stupid, this was going to be something to do with their poor working relationship. The boss gestured for him to sit down, and he did, sitting with his foot resting on his knee and his arms folded over his stomach. He dreaded this conversation every time, and he always knew how it went.

Jack waited for the slapped wrist that never came. Instead, she slid a folder over to them; a drugs case. They had suspects, leads, but they all seemed to lead to just one suburb. Gabriel flicked through the folder while the boss explained, Jack looking over his shoulder. They could pretend to be civil for this mission, they had done it before, they could do it again.

“You’ll be undercover for this mission,” she explained, her face hardening. This caught Jack’s attention. “This time, as husbands. You’ll be put up in this suburban neighbourhood, not far from--”

“Excuse me?” Jack spluttered. His eyebrows rose to the ceiling, jaw hung open in disbelief. “You’re expecting me to just drop everything and move in _him?_ ” He gestured to Gabriel, whose face soured, but Jack didn’t care right now. “I have a daughter, and you’re expecting me to just trust anyone with her.”

The boss stood slowly, palms flat on her desk, leaning over Jack. “You two have been picked specifically for this mission because of your opposing skill sets. We need you on this case, both of you. Whether or not your get along in private is none of my concern. This is work, Morrison, unless you would rather not have a job to support your daughter with.”

Jack bit his tongue. Dammit, she was right. As much as Jack wished he had other options, right now, he didn’t. He glanced over at Gabriel, who said nothing, but shot a glare over at Jack. So, he was the only one fighting against this. Jack’s shoulders slumped, resigning to his fate.

“Fine, I accept the mission.”

“Excellent.” She sat back down, arms folded over the desk, expression unreadable. “Your accommodation has already been arranged. From now, you’re a family of five.”

Five? Gabriel had children? Jack couldn’t believe someone could stand him long enough to start a family with him. The pair nodded in agreement, even if the thought of marrying the other made both of their skins crawl.

“Congratulations, on your marriage. Though, one more thing.” A small smirk danced on her lips. “Try to make this as convincing as possible. What I mean is, get rings, and get marriage photos. At least try to pretend you’re in love, put those high school drama classes to work, boys.”

Jack found himself at a registry office, signing his life away, and officially changing his last name. Jack Colimar. It sounded strange to Jack, but at least they were both required to change their names. It was a better compromise than one of them having to take the others’ name, Jack thought. They dressed up nicely and got cake for the occasion, which was the only good thing about the day. They took far too many photos, including one of them shoving cake in their faces. It was the most fun Jack had ever had with Gabriel, which wasn’t saying much.

Before Jack knew it, he was packing his belongings into a moving van, while he had sat Lena in the front of it. Soon, they would reach Leaf Park, a small town Jack and Gabriel had been assigned to. Thankfully, it wasn't far from his previous home.

Lena was excited enough, but while Jack did his best explaining the situation, he wasn’t so sure he had gotten through to her. She was still young, so all she understood was ‘new family’, ‘new daddy’, and ‘new siblings’. She didn’t mind sharing a room with a new girl, seemingly treating it as a semi-permanent sleepover. Jack was partly glad, partly worried; what if she was just trying to hide how she felt?

He frowned in thought. Every thought just got worse and worse as he drove. He was about to be the dad of two extra children, whose names he barely knew. He wondered why Gabriel wanted to bring them into this mess, but then again, Jack was doing the same. It just didn’t feel right pushing Lena away in the name of work, but he wasn’t sure if this was the best course of action, either. He didn’t know what else to do about this.

The Morrison side of the family arrived in good time, i.e. there was no Gabriel anywhere near the house. Jack was relieved. This meant he could put things the way he wanted, before his fake husband came along and changed everything. Lena was underfoot, constantly trying to ‘help’, but all she did was irritate Jack. At the end of it, he rifled through her stuff and grabbed her colouring book and her pens, before sitting her down somewhere. There we go, pure silence.

Jack watched her for a moment, flicking between pages, before she settled on a page she liked with a grin. She fumbled wildly in her case of coloured pens, before pulling out some awful shade of green. Lena stuck her tongue out as she got to work, humming to herself. He pulled himself away, though he could have watched her all day. This was going to work out fine, he hoped. He wondered how long they had left of this as he walked off upstairs.

He got to work unpacking his clothes when he heard a car pull up in the driveway. Dammit, he thought he had more time than this. No matter, he would have to get used to Gabriel one way or another. He set about folding clothes, putting them in the bedside table that he claimed, when he heard the doorbell. Huh. Maybe it wasn’t Gabriel. He stuck his head out the window and saw Gabriel, grumbling at the door.

“Good morning, honey,” Jack greeted. Gabriel looked up, anger in his eyes, which he quickly had to wipe away.

“Aw, baby, I didn’t think you’d be here so early.” His tone reeked of _fuck you, that was my plan_. “You’ve left the door locked, and your keys in it.”

Oh shit, that was a genuine mistake. What a great start. Jack smiled sheepishly. “Uh, hold on, I’ll go unlock it for you.”

Well, so much for being civil, he supposed. Gabriel definitely thought Jack was doing this on purpose, even when he really was not. Jack moved downstairs quickly, sighing heavily. This was going to be a long mission if they couldn’t even get along when trying. He could hear Gabriel rattling the door handle impatiently, and Jack groaned. A long, long mission indeed.

He reached the bottom of the stairs just in time to see something attempt to poke through the dog flap. Why on Earth did they even have a dog flap? He watched a head poke through, and Jack recognised that child must have been Jesse. If it wasn’t, then Gabriel was a blind fool, letting strange children into their home. Jack could only watch, dumbfounded, as this child crawled his way through.

“Alright, cowboy, let me help you out,” Jack laughed.

The boy looked up at him for a moment, before making grabby hands over at Jack. “Okay.”

Jack grabbed the kid’s hands and pulled him out gently, making a ‘woo!’ noise as he was pulled. Weird kid. Weird, but loveable for sure. With Jesse free, Jack fixed his clothes, making him presentable, before standing upright and opening the door for Gabriel. His eyes had narrowed into a glare, waiting all too long, before smiling brightly at Jack. Forced, obviously, but the kids wouldn’t have known.

“Jack!” he greeted, pulling the other man into a crushing hug. He leaned into his ear, and whispered. “Don’t fucking do this to me, Morrison. You make my life hell, I’ll make your life hell. All I want is a peaceful life, and you’re not gonna ruin that.”

Oof. Cold, but Jack realised it wasn’t exactly unwarranted. It wasn’t as if Jack was some kind of angel to him at all times. He frowned as Gabriel released him, and ushered the kids into the living room, where Lena was waiting. Jack waited a moment before joining his family.

“... and this is Olivia and Jesse,” Gabriel said, putting a hand on each of the kids’ shoulders. “Say hi, guys.”

“Hey,” Olivia greeted, giving a small wave, while Jesse tipped an imaginary hat to Lena. Oh boy. Jack grimaced in the background.

Lena paused, before smiling. “Do you wanna colour with me?” she offered, holding out random coloured pens at her new siblings.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the other two kids accept her offer. Jesse and Olivia sat down, one on each side. The three of them were hunched over the coffee table, colouring in the book. They may have gotten in each others’ way a little, but they didn’t fight over it. Jack looked over at Gabriel; they could have both learned from their children.

Gabriel and Jack left the kids to it, thinking they could stand to be left unsupervised without the house burning down. At least, Jack was hoping this was the case. He wasn’t doubting Gabriel’s parenting ability, he just had no idea how the Reyes children were. Well, this would be a learning experience for everyone.

The house had two bathrooms - well, a bathroom and a half - and three bedrooms. The smallest, they decided, was for Jesse, while the girls shared the middle room. Jack and Gabriel had the largest room, simply because they needed the distance. They should have at least tried to ask for a super king size bed, but at least what they had was a king size bed.

That didn’t stop Jack from considering sleeping on the couch. It looked big enough to support his weight, though his feet may have dangled off the edge. At least it _looked_ comfortable enough to sleep on. He and Gabriel could alternate, he thought, before shaking his head. Hm, maybe not the best idea if the kids were to wake up first. Nothing was good about seeing Daddy on the couch when he should have been in bed with ‘other Daddy’.

Ugh, he really didn’t want to share a bed with Gabriel, though. Jack could have slept on the floor, but his back already screamed in protest. Alright, alright, fine, he would take the bed. This whole situation was stupid, though, and Jack should have just quit before it even reached this stage. Better yet, he could have gotten Gabriel to agree this was stupid, and maybe they could have not done it at all if they both resisted. At least the kids seemed happy enough with each other.

For now, anyway.

Jack and Gabriel unpacked the rest of their belongings, quietly avoiding each other, while the kids were kept occupied. When their toys were unpacked, they stopped colouring, instead playing with their toys. Jack couldn’t help but constantly check up on them, making sure no fights broke out. They never did. The only fights were passive-aggressive displays of dominance between the two adult children, both of them changing where the other placed things.

The rest of the day carried on, no more dramas breaking out. Jack was relieved, honestly. Gabriel unpacked the rest of his belongings as Jack made dinner for the whole family. There were no complaints, which at this point, Jack took as a victory. No dramas, no issues, just a peaceful and quiet dinner. If they could keep this up forever, then the mission would be over before they knew it.

***

Jack didn’t know whose idea it was to take the kids to the zoo - it was his own fault, who was he kidding? - but he was full of regret and annoyance. He rubbed his temples as they walked, barely having left the car. It was hot, the kids were already cranky and arguing about nothing. Jack wondered if anywhere here served alcohol.

“Dad! Jesse pulled on my hair!”

“Did not! Lena keeps hitting me!”

“No I don’t!”

And that was just the bickering amongst themselves. Jack had to keep yelling for Lena to come back after running off; he really thought she would have grown out of the stage of needing a baby leash, but he was wrong. Olivia kept disappearing, and every ten minutes, it was another panic to find her. Jack lost track of the amount of times he had to stop Jesse from climbing into a predatory animal’s cage. It became more and more tempting to throw himself in there, instead.

So much shrieking from the kids, so much running around. Jack buried his face in his hands, trying to hold back a scream. Gabriel nudged him gently, enough to catch his attention and nothing more. He peeked through his fingers and saw his husband holding a small box and a bottle of water. He moved his hands and took a better look - water and painkillers.

“This ain’t my first time dealing with Jesse and Olivia, and it sure as hell doesn’t get any better. Good thing I came prepared,” Gabriel said, holding both out to Jack.

“Huh. Thoughtful. Thanks, Gabe,” Jack smiled, taking the bottle.

“Don’t call me that,” Gabriel warned.

Oof. Okay, no nicknames, they weren’t at that stage yet. He took out a couple of painkillers and swallowed them with the water. With the way his head was pounding, he would be glad when they kicked in. He handed Gabriel the painkillers, who dropped them back into his backpack.

“Have you ever thought about baby leashes?” Jack asked.

“Please, Jack, they're too old for that,” Gabriel snorted.

So, no. Then again, it wasn’t like it worked with Lena, either, as she was still clearly running around without a care in the world. Jack worried a little bit about what Gabriel thought of his parenting but, ultimately, it didn't matter what he thought. He wouldn't going to start a parenting argument, not right now.

The best thing about the zoo was the trip back. By then, the kids were almost knocked out. They managed a second wind for McDonald’s, running around with their new toys while Jack craved death. To Gabriel, this was just one extra child, but to Jack, this was two more children to look out for. With food finished, the kids were ushered back into the car.

The ride home was silent, three kids fast asleep in the back with Jack not far off, himself. He rubbed his face, fighting with himself to stay awake. Thankfully, the ride home wasn't long. Jack helped Gabriel take the kids upstairs to bed; Jack had Jesse, while Gabriel had the girls. Somehow, they managed to tuck the kids in to bed without a single thing waking them up, and Jack was glad. Finally, some peace.

This left Gabriel and Jack to do whatever they wanted. What he wanted, however, was a glass of water and to go to bed. Gabriel was still rather awake, and decided to stay downstairs for a little while longer. Jack was about to leave for upstairs, but he paused, hovering by the living room door.

“Today was good,” Jack nodded, “I hope we can keep it up.”

Gabriel snorted. “All depends on you, hot shot. Goodnight, Jack. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jack nodded again, before heading back upstairs. This arrangement wouldn't be so bad, not if they could keep being this civil.


	2. Chapter 2

A week passed since the ‘Colimar’ family had moved in. No dramas, no fighting still, and the kids were still friendly. Or, at least, the  _ actual  _ kids were. The adult babies were a completely different matter, bickering quietly in the evenings, after the kids had gone to bed. No matter what, they stuck to one golden rule - never in front of the kids. The kids didn't deserve that.

To celebrate their arrival in the neighbourhood - in other words, to infiltrate and snoop on neighbours - Jack and Gabriel had the brilliant idea of hosting a barbecue. Jack was left to the barbecue, despite being the more sociable out of the pair. He did get approached by a couple of the men, greeting him and welcoming him to the neighbourhood. On the other hand, Gabriel wasn't exactly succeeding in socialising. Perhaps they should have switched.

Though it started off poorly, a few women did end up circling the barbecue. Jack was happy enough to oblige, listening to them talk and fill him in on the gossip. That was when it hit him; they thought Gabriel wasn’t the  _ gay _ one, so they approached Jack, instead. He grimaced for a moment in realisation. He wasn’t gay, he wasn’t their little stereotype. He sure as hell would not be their gay best friend, either.

Okay, he could fit into one box - Jack loved gossip.

It did give him some pretty good insight into his neighbours, however. He didn’t know how much of it was truth, and how much of it was pure fabrication, but he was enjoying it regardless. Jack caught a glimpse of Gabriel, who was trying to talk to others. While he expected a disaster, Gabriel pleasantly surprised him by laughing along with their guests. Things were finally coming together.

For a little while, Jack was given peace. He flipped burgers in peace, taking a swig of his beer, and enjoying the moment. The moment didn’t last long before Gabriel came over, slipping his arm around Jack’s waist. It took everything in Jack not to slink away in disgust, but instead, he flashed Gabriel a smile. Gabriel mirrored his smile, stealing Jack's beer and taking a swig. Gross.

He leaned in, kissing his cheek before whispering, “found anything interesting?”

“I don’t know how you’re defining interesting,” Jack said, despite knowing damn well what Gabriel meant, “but I found out exactly who’s sleeping with who in the neighbourhood. I can’t believe Simon and Carly aren’t as happy as they seem.”

Gabriel looked at him, brow furrowed, mouth open, and eyes narrowed into a glare. He pulled away, folding his arms on his chest and staring at Jack, with an expression that screamed  _ do your damn job _ . Jack shrugged it off. It wasn't as if he could do much from his post at the grill.

“No, come on, seriously. This is interesting, come back,” Jack said, beckoning him closer.

Gabriel frowned, but with a heavy sigh, he leaned back in again. Jack regaled him in the tales and dramas of their neighbours. At first, he resisted, frowning, but Jack knew he was getting through to him. He watched Gabriel’s eyes move over to look at their neighbours, whispering, “ _ no way _ ,” before snorting.

Jack grinned to himself. This was a success in his books. It was nice to hear Gabriel laugh, even if it was a snort at someone else’s expense. Maybe this was something they could bond over. While Jack talked, Gabriel shamelessly stole another swig of his beer. He would have mentioned it, but he supposed there were better times to bicker. Instead, he shot his husband a look, who just shrugged at him.

The afternoon slowly shifted into early evening. Jack was becoming tired, cranky, and a little irritable, but he felt it too rude to kick people out. They had an image to maintain, unfortunately. Not many neighbours remained in their garden, numbers thinning out at the day progressed. Now, it was just waiting for the remaining few to leave.

The barbecue had long been extinguished, and the alcohol was almost out. Jack sat in a lawn chair, a ‘definitely not tired’ Jesse sitting on him and yawning. Lena was fighting to stay awake, and with Olivia being Olivia, it meant the two girls began to squabble pettily amongst each other. With their whines and complaints, the neighbour finally took that as their cue to leave.

By then, Jesse had fallen asleep on Jack, and Lena was crying. Jack pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginnings of a migraine settling in. Gabriel acted as his saviour, announcing it was time for bed for the children. The girls complained, but they eventually marched upstairs. Jack mouthed his thanks at him - Gabriel was his guardian angel at that moment.

The pair tucked their kids into bed, leaving the adults to do as they pleased. Too early to go to sleep, too late to do anything important. Jack and Gabriel sat in front of the TV, silent. Jack tapped on his lap, feeling a little uncomfortable, and glancing over at his husband occasionally. He felt like he needed to say something, but he wasn’t sure what.

“What.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. “You keep staring at me like you want something. What do you want, Jack.”

Oh. It was good to see Gabriel’s mood from earlier had vanished. Jack shook his head. “I don’t-- I don’t want anything.”

“Then quit staring at me.”

Jack frowned, and fished his phone from his pocket. This was just awful. He could have easily quit, slamming his badge down on the boss’ desk and called it a day. He didn’t know why he bothered - for Lena, he supposed. But this was hardly fair for her, asking her to move for Jack’s work, then eventually move back home.

This wasn’t fair on any of the kids, really. Jack and Gabriel should have never agreed to bring their kids along for the ride. It never should have been them for this mission. They had made their bed, though, and it was now time to lie in it. He was left seriously considering his options, whether or not he should have just gone. They had barely tried, yes, but it was better now than before the kids got attached.

Jack glanced over at Gabriel, who refused to look back at him. Staying here was the worst idea in his entire life, but he wasn’t known for his good ideas. Jack got up, despite it being nine, and decided it was time for bed.

“Where are you going?” Gabriel asked.

“Bed. Feel free to join me, beautiful,” Jack winked.

“Fuck off.”

Jack smirked over his shoulder at Gabriel. “I love you, too, honey.”

He went upstairs and changed into his pyjamas. He did prefer sleeping in underwear, but not with Gabriel in bed with him; if he could, he would sleep in a full suit of armour. Jack laughed, sliding into bed. He fell asleep rather quickly, exhausted.

***

For the first time since the beginning of summer, the kids were going out, leaving the adults alone. While normally Jack loved the peace, the kids were gone for only one reason; the adults needed to work. It was far easier to work without worrying about one of the kids setting the house on fire, or whether or not they were fighting.

Wrangling the children into clothing was no easy task. Lena cried, unwilling to spend time away from her dad. It broke Jack’s heart to hear her upset, but he couldn’t always be there. He didn't want to know how she would behave when school started. Jesse and Olivia just didn’t want to go, and with all three of them resisting, it was a headache. Jack didn’t know how Gabriel could handle two kids - he was a stronger man. Eventually, they managed to get all three of them ready to go, and into the car.

Gabriel went to drop the kids off to their respective activities, leaving Jack with the house to himself for a little while. He wouldn’t have been long, Jack thought, so he couldn’t just do whatever he wanted. Ah, well. Instead, he got the documents out on the kitchen table, before heading upstairs for a quick shower.

In the time it took for Jack to shower and get dressed, Gabriel had done his errands and come back. Jack came downstairs - first stop, kitchen. He found a bag of pastries - God bless Gabriel - and a coffee burner with enough coffee for one person in it.

Gabriel came back into the room, pulling a cup from the cupboard, when Jack interrupted him. “You only made enough for one person.”

“You don’t like coffee,” Gabriel reminded him. “You always complain that it’s bitter, or that it gives your dying old heart problems.”

Jack hummed. Gabriel did pay attention to him, after all. He paused, unsure what to say, before fishing out his own cup from the cupboard. He filled the cup with water, before turning his attention to Gabriel for a moment.

“So, time to get to work?” Jack asked.

Gabriel poured out his coffee, loading it with so much sugar and creamer it could barely be classed as coffee anymore. “We don’t have a lot to go on, not right now. But we can pull together what we have, make a game plan from--” Gabriel looked at Jack. “What the fuck are you doing?”

Jack had just put the cup in the microwave and set it in for a couple of minutes. He pressed the  _ on _ button, reaching into the cupboard to grab the box of teabags. He couldn’t have the strong caffeine of coffee, so cups of herbal tea was the next best thing. He grabbed a tea bag, holding it in his palm.

“Putting water in the microwave? How else do you make tea?” Jack tilted his head, like Gabriel had asked a stupid question.

Gabriel’s jaw dropped. He gestured to Jack, then the microwave, the words dying on his tongue. He groaned, frustrated, pressing his face against his hand. He took a deep breath before trying again.

“With a kettle? Are you seriously telling me Jack ‘Farmboy’ Morrison doesn’t have a stovetop kettle?” Gabriel looked at him in horror.

“No. I’m happy with my microwaved tea,” Jack said.

As if on cue, the microwave pinged. Jack was careful as he reached in, plopping the tea bag into the cup. Gabriel stared on in horror, mouth open to say something, but he snapped it shut again. Jack made no comments about his husband’s choice of beverage, and thus he had no right to comment, himself.

Jack sat down with his drink, and Gabriel joined him. All that sat on the table was the original case file, but Gabriel added a notebook and a pen to the mix. They noted down everything they knew - rumoured or not, they could just follow it up - and grabbed a separate folder to file the papers away in. All they had were scraps of information, things that seemed so insignificant, but they hoped would one day make sense.

“Why can’t cases crack themselves?” Jack joked, finishing off his drink.

Gabriel looked over at him, and Jack couldn’t tell if he was mad or amused. “Because then we’d be out of a job.” He got up and grabbed the cups, making his way to the kitchen.

Jack turned around in his seat to look at Gabriel. “Is that such a bad thing, sometimes? For example, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for this job.”

Gabriel paused, taking in a breath, before getting to making them new drinks. Odd. Jack expected something from him, but he was a little glad. It just meant there would be no pointless arguments, not right now. Though, maybe there was something more to it. Jack didn’t know. When Gabriel came back, he mumbled a thank you, taking a sip of his drink.

“Microwaved, just like mama used to make,” Gabriel joked, and Jack laughed.

“It's not that bad,” Jack said.

Gabriel sat down, and the pair got back to work. One day, they would get somewhere with this case.

***

Jack checked the list for the fifth and final time while Gabriel busied himself, bundling the kids in the car. He knew Gabriel wasn’t incompetent but, well, it didn’t hurt to check again. Jack would have gone with them to get groceries but, in truth, he was busy with his own thing. A neighbour, Michelle, had invited him over to hang out with ‘the girls’. Jack hated it, but he bit his tongue and just said yes.

The list was sorted, and Jack folded the list up and handed it over to Gabriel. Gabriel rolled his eyes, annoyed that Jack felt the need to add things to the list, or even check. It wasn’t totally out of distrust, it was a habit Jack had for himself, as well. Gabriel pressed a kiss to Jack’s cheek, pulling him into a hug to whisper in his ear.

“Pay attention, and don’t fuck up,” Gabriel whispered.

“What do you take me for?” Jack muttered, pulling away. “You guys have fun.”

Jack soon found himself in a circle of women, sipping margaritas and listening to gossip. He wanted to say that he hated gossip, just to prove these women wrong. But damn, he loved being a petty bitch. Just a shame he couldn’t join in, not yet.

There were rumours that Sharon brought store-bought cakes to the PTA meetings, and that Heidi was an alcoholic. Then again, that second point seemed rich, when everyone else was on their third margarita. Jack laughed along with them, even if he didn’t know who most of the women they talked about were. By the end of it, Jack was joining in - oh no, he was turning into a white suburban mom. Well, as long as he didn’t bring in store-bought crap to PTA meetings-- 

Wait, since when was he joining the PTA?

Jack told himself he would have just one margarita, just something to socialise with. Three refills later, and his head was swimming. He couldn’t stop laughing, leaning against the women around him, who were leaning around him. Jack had new best friends whose he would not remember when he was sober. He didn’t know how, or when, but he managed to drag his sorry ass back home to Gabriel. He peeked his head around the living room door, where Gabriel was sitting on the couch. He looked Jack over, and grimaced.

“Holy shit,” Gabriel whistled, “they did a number on you.”

Jack couldn’t tell if Gabriel was annoyed or amused, and he hated how many times he’s had to question that. He flopped onto the couch, head in Gabriel’s lap, legs dangling over the arm of the couch.

“Wow Jack, if you’re gonna be that all over me, you could at least buy me dinner first,” Gabriel snorted.

“Well, I’m kinda hungry,” Jack mumbled, face planted on the top of his legs, “let’s get pizza.”

Gabriel stroked his hair. “Yeah, you’re in no state to cook or clean. I’ll give the pizza place a call.”

Jack was glad; he hadn’t eaten since lunch time, other than the odd snack at Michelle's. God, he was hungry, but he didn't know if his stomach would let him eat. He closed his eyes, comfortable on Gabriel. He was in a great mood - maybe he just needed alcohol to deal with Gabriel. Jack laughed to himself, and Gabriel patted his back like this was the first time he had ever been drunk.

Jack must have dozed off, as the next thing he knew, Gabriel was pushing him off to answer the door. He sat up, head spinning, and groaned. He felt like absolute shit right now. The stampede of children rushed to the front door, and Gabriel ushered them to the kitchen, before calling for Jack to join them. He managed to peel himself off the couch, and made his way to the dining room to sit with the rest of the family.

Luckily for him, the kids were too distracted by pizza to register that Jack was basically dead. He didn’t eat much, knowing that if he did, he would probably puke it all back up again. Gabriel kept looking over at him, making sure he didn’t end up passing out face first onto a slice. Jack really, really wasn’t that bad, though. Maybe he was, but just didn’t realise. Who knows? Jack sure didn’t.

After dinner, Gabriel sent Jack to bed immediately for his ‘headache’. He flopped into bed, and crashed almost instantly, and thought he would never wake up from this sleep. He wasn't that heavy of a sleeper, though  When he felt Gabriel’s weight shift on the bed, he groaned, roused from his peaceful sleep. He opened an eye at Gabriel, who didn’t seem to notice.

“You’re a pain in the ass, Morrison,” he mumbled, getting under the covers, “but you’re not half bad. Hope you know that.”

Maybe Jack dreamt that, but normally he didn’t dream when he was drunk. A sigh passed Gabriel’s lips, before he rolled over, and they both drifted back off to sleep.

***

Lena’s birthday was fast approaching. Lucky for Gabriel, Lena hadn’t stopped reminding the whole family about her big day. Even luckier, she kept pointing out all the presents she wanted if they happened to drop by the mall. She would grab one of them by the hand, pull them hard at the shop window, and point at whatever she wanted.

Jack hated her birthday. Not because he hated his daughter - God,  _ no _ \- but she was even more boisterous and demanding. Unfortunately, with three kids, they couldn’t exactly spoil her like Jack wanted. They simply did not have the money for it. He also didn't expect Gabriel to do much for it, and he wouldn't have blamed Gabriel.

But the evening came, and it was just them. Thankfully, they had grown used to each other enough to be able to watch shitty TV together. They had their feet up on the coffee table, relaxed, swigging their drinks. The silence between them was peaceful, almost like an old married couple.

“So, Lena’s birthday is soon,” Gabriel said.

“Really? Never would’ve guessed,” Jack snorted, and Gabriel laughed with him.

“Hm, yeah, got just a couple of hints. I was thinking, why don’t we drop the kids off somewhere tomorrow, and we can go to the mall together?” Gabriel asked.

Huh. Now that was a surprise. “We don’t have plans tomorrow, so yeah. We can drop them off at Ana’s, if she doesn’t mind.”

“Of course she’s gonna mind,” Gabriel said.

Okay, he was right, Ana wasn't going to be impressed. Jack was glad that Gabriel wanted to be involved in Lena’s life but, thinking about it, he would do the same for Jesse and Olivia. He didn’t know why he expected any differently from Gabriel; Jack still wasn’t giving him a chance. That would need to change.

“Good point, but she loves the kids, she won’t say no for long,” Jack hummed.

Gabriel didn’t argue further, and the next day, they dropped the kids off at Ana’s. The shopping trip went by without much of a hitch, and Gabriel picked out a couple of nice presents for Lena. Jack couldn’t hide his smile even if he tried; this was one of the few times he didn’t  _ hate _ being married to Gabriel. He even offered to bake a cake for the day and Jack left him to it. Gabriel was up early enough, usually, so baking a cake on the day wasn’t too much hassle.

On Lena’s birthday, Jack woke up to the smell of delicious cake, and sighed wistfully. Sweet, beautiful cake. He slipped out of bed and got dressed, before making his way downstairs. He popped his head around the kitchen door, watching Gabriel hum and dance around as he made icing. Huh, he really could bake; Jack expected just plain pound cake.

“How’s the cake coming along?” Jack asked.

Gabriel almost dropped the bowl, but put it down on the counter. “Fuck, Jack, don’t scare me like that. It’s going fine.”

Figuring Jack wasn’t outright rejected, he walked into the kitchen. Curious to see what kind of cake it was, he crouched down to the oven and frowned. He looked up at Gabriel, who gave him that look of  _ what the fuck is wrong this time? _

“Gabe,” Jack started, “what kind of cake is this?”

“Chocolate. Why?” Gabriel’s tone reeked suspicion, and Jack winced.

“Lena…” Jack sucked in his breath. “Lena hates chocolate cake.”

Even from here, he could feel Gabriel’s blood boil. He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking like he was about to pop a blood vessel. “Why the  _ fuck _ didn’t you tell me sooner?” he hissed.

“I didn’t think--”

And just like that, the thunderous stampede of one child sounded down the stairs. The pair looked at each other desperately, both at a loss of what to do. An eternity passed, the world working in slow motion, before Jack hatched an idea.

“Got any more ingredients?” Jack hissed under his breath.

“Maybe just enough. I’ll see if I can make a second one, while you distract her,” Gabriel said.

Jack nodded - time to initiate Operation: Major Fuck Up. He rushed over to the bottom of the steps and hoisted Lena up before she could run off to the living room, where her presents were. He kissed her face all over while she giggled, trying to push away gently. Jack wasn’t letting her go, he needed to keep her occupied for a little while as Gabriel made a second cake.

“Happy birthday, sweet pea,” Jack said, in between kisses. “Couldn’t wait for Olivia and Jesse, huh?”

Lena shook her head. “S’my birthday!” she grinned up at him, toothy and wide. “Can I open presents now?”

“Not without the whole family,” Jack said gently.

“Can I wake them up?” Lena asked, hopeful.

“No, sweet pea.”

She huffed and went limp in his arms; it just wouldn’t have been Lena without the dramatics. He put her down, and immediately, she ran off to the kitchen. Well, at least it wasn’t the living room, but Gabriel was baking in there. Oh God, wait, Gabriel. Jack realised too late, and heard Lena open the kitchen door.

There was no stopping it. Gabriel had already taken out the ‘bad’ cake, and he didn’t have a chance to try and hide it. Jack ran off to pick her up, but by then, it was too late. Thankfully, she was too short to reach it, but that wasn’t going to stop her from jumping up at the counter. When jumping, she could clearly see what it was.

“Is that my birthday cake?” she asked excitedly.

“Baby, I’m sorry, it’s chocolate. I messed up, lemme just make you another cake--”

“Does this mean I get two cakes?” Lena stopped her hopping, staring at Gabriel wide-eyed.

“I-- yes, but only because you don’t like chocolate, so I’m making another one for you.”

“Oh.” Lena huffed, but sooned perked back up. “Can I still get a piece of that one?”

Gabriel looked over at Jack, at a loss of what to do. Jack thought she hated chocolate cake, but apparently, her tastes suddenly changed. “Sure, baby, just wait for Jesse and Olivia.”

And just like that, she was off like a shot. Jack didn’t even have the chance to scoop her up before she was upstairs, off to wake up her poor siblings. Even from downstairs, he heard Jesse whine loudly, complaining, and a thump. He had likely thrown his pillow at the door. Olivia, however, was more receptive, coming downstairs with Lena - maybe she had promised her cake.

Jack couldn’t help but laugh; he really loved his little family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, almost ready for bed: OH FUCK CLEAR TO GREY
> 
> Anyway lmao whoops here it is, the next part. Next part due on Saturday!
> 
> As ever, come check me out on [Tumblr!](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter 3

“Dad! I can’t find my bag!”

“Daddy! My pencil case!”

“Dad! Jesse stole my hairbrush!”

Jack wanted to hide under the dining room table. He eyed it up, and Gabriel shot him that look of  _ don’t even think about it _ . He didn’t dare think about it anymore, instead nibbling on toast. Honestly, he didn’t know how Gabriel kept so calm. The guy was just a child expert. Gabriel finished off his coffee, before putting his cup down.

“I’m gonna try to wrangle them into clothes. Go and find their missing shit,” Gabriel instructed.

“Got it.”

It made things a little easier to be two against three, rather than one against two. Jack went off and found the bag (under the couch), the pencil case (in the cupboard) and the hairbrush (why in God’s name was it in the freezer?). Even from downstairs, he could still hear his family arguing. Gabriel was being eaten alive by their kids, and Jack couldn’t be any more amused.

With all these items gathered, Jack went upstairs, just in time to see Gabriel trying to talk an unwilling Olivia into her clothes. There was shouting, arguing, and Olivia bit Gabriel. He yelled, letting her go immediately. Jack sighed.

“Kids, come on. I know you don’t wanna go to school, but it’s the first day. We don’t want to be late,” Jack tried.

“Jack, please, if reason worked, they’d be dressed by now,” Gabriel hissed.

Jack sighed, and he almost walked away, feeling like he was just in the way. Instead, he gave Gabriel a hand trying to encourage the kids. As a team, the kids were more responsive. Jack was relieved when finally, they decided they would get some damn clothes on. They exchanged looks of relief, before splitting off to get ready, themselves.

With the whole family washed and dressed, everyone piled into the car. Jack let Gabriel drive, and he had the joy of a spiteful Olivia kicking his seat the whole time. He felt like he couldn’t yell at her, and she knew it, using it against him. Sometimes, just sometimes, he hated kids.

He leaned his head against the window - “Don’t lean against the window, honey,” Gabriel warned in an oddly cheerful tone - and watched the world go by. He wondered how long they would have to live this life for, hoping this would be just one of few trips to school together. Knowing Jack’s luck, however, this would drag on until the kids got to college. He frowned at the thought.

However, if there was one thing he hated more than Gabriel, it was the passive aggressive PTA moms. They wore their sashes and high visibility jackets with far too much pride, as if they were the law. Their saccharine smiles plastered on their faces as they exclaimed in sing-song voices when someone put a tire out of line. God, Jack hated the morning drop-offs and the afternoon pick-ups, but Gabriel was taking it like a champ. He faked a smile like the best of them, despite the tight clench of his jaw.

Jack was certain the man was going to break off the steering wheel as one of the women patronised him worse than she would a child. Gabriel forced a smile, handling the situation with dignity, though his patience was obviously wearing thin. Jack said nothing as they dropped the kids off; he knew how to press Gabriel’s buttons, and he sure as hell didn’t want to risk it.

It was now just them in the car, and Gabriel turned on the radio to break the silence. When a song came on that annoyed both of them, the radio was immediately turned back off, and the pair sat in silence. Jack stared out of the window, just waiting to get home.

“I fucking hate PTA moms,” Gabriel scoffed. Then, in his best high pitched PTA mom voice, “Mr. Colimar, you’ve been in the green zone for a second too long. Ooh, Mr. Colimar, your wheel is a fraction of an inch out of the cones. Looks like you’ll have to circle back around.”

Jack snorted. “No Mr. Colimar, you can only drop off one child at a time.”

Gabriel laughed softly, relaxing his grip on the steering wheel. A victory for Jack. He sat back, finally able to relax a little more; if he could just make Gabriel laugh, that was enough for Jack. He was quiet still, but Jack didn't mind it so much. He perked back up when they got home, immediately getting back to work. They still had a case to crack, between parental duties and household chores. That didn't mean they had gotten any closer, though.

When the kids came home, they were chattering excitedly about their days - it was a sad time when even the kids had a more productive day. With the first day of school came the first load of homework, it was difficult to sit them down to do it. It was only simple things to get them back into the groove of things, but they were having none of it, they just wanted to play. Jack looked to Gabriel for help, who shrugged and left him to it.

He hated being married.

***

The best thing about September was rain. To him, there was no better white noise. He sat by the window, cup of tea in hand, watching the rain splatter on the glass.  The rain was needed, the remnants of the summer heat finally being extinguished. If he could, he would sit here all day and just watch. Unfortunately, he would have to get to work eventually. At least the kids were at school, allowing them some peace.

Jack's luck was about to run out. He heard a shout from upstairs, and he almost dropped his cup. He put it down, before rushing off upstairs. He saw Gabriel trying to catch water droplets from the ceiling in their toothbrush holder, toothbrushes still in the container. Jack glanced up at the ceiling and groaned. Great, a leak.

“Uh, shit, okay-- you go get supplies, I'll stay here and make sure nothing else is leaking,” Jack said.

“You just don't want to go out in the rain,” Gabriel scoffed, putting the little holder down. “But, fine. I'll probably be quicker, anyway.”

With that, Gabriel was off, and out of the house. Jack went downstairs to grab his tea, checking every room upstairs constantly for more leaks. He replaced the holder with a bucket as, thankfully, for now that was the only leak. The rain stopped, replaced instead by bright sunlight. The sudden shift of weather always concerned Jack - global warming was a real threat - but he supposed this was a good thing. The roof would be dry, and thus safer to be on.

When he did finally get home, they both changed into gross clothes and got into the roof. As Jack climbed the ladder, he wondered if this was even safe, but he wasn't a baby, and he could keep his mouth shut. Thankfully, the fix was simple, and Gabriel finished quickly. Jack didn't even need to be there, he was just keeping Gabriel company. With the job done, Gabriel moved carefully to get down the ladder, but he wasn't careful enough.

Jack couldn't react. He heard a shout, the ladder falling to the floor with a clang, and a snap. His eyes widened; it was one thing being stuck on a roof, another being stuck on a roof while his husband was seriously injured. What the hell was he going to do?

“Shit-- Gabriel!” Jack yelled. He couldn't climb down, not from here. “Help!” he called. He looked down at his husband, unable to calm his anxiety. “Stay with me, Gabriel.”

“M’not dying, jackass,” Gabriel groaned.

Someone finally heard Jack yelling on the roof and called 911 for Gabriel. It took too long for someone to realise Jack couldn't get down, and graciously got the ladder for him. He slid down, ran inside to grab his phone, then got back outside to Gabriel's side.

“How're you holding up?” Jack asked, grabbing his hand.

“Well, you know, other than breaking my leg?” Gabriel spat. He squeezed Jack's hand tightly. “I'll be okay.”

Luckily for them, the ambulance responded quickly and, before long, Gabriel was eased into the back. At first, they were reluctant to let Jack into the ambulance until he flashed the wedding ring. He stayed by Gabriel the whole trip, holding his hand in between his own. He kept his voice low, reassuring, and Gabriel could only squeeze in response. Jack kissed his forehead, keeping his face against Gabriel's forehead. It was going to be okay, he hoped.

When he got a moment, he called Ana, asking if she could pick the kids up from school. With a reluctant sigh, she agreed. Now he could focus on Gabriel and his leg, which was confirmed broken. It could have been worse. Jack didn't leave his side, sticking by him for as long as was possible; he didn't want Gabriel to be alone. But he would be fine, his leg just needed a cast. After what felt like an eternity in hospital, they were finally discharged, and they could pick up the kids.

Jack's luck just kept running out. Ana must have heard the car door, as she immediately came out, arms folded over her stomach. Oh crap, he already knew he was in trouble. She wasn't  _ angry, _ more annoyed. Of course she would be, Jack didn't tell her anything, and just dumped the kids on her. Again. Without warning.

“Ana, I can explain,” Jack sighed, hand in his hair. “Gabriel broke his leg, I couldn't just leave him to fend for himself.”

Ana softened, looking over at the car, where Gabriel was sitting patiently. Her arms remained in their place - he wasn't off the hook just yet. “Is he okay?”

“Nothing serious, just a roofing accident, thankfully. Bones heal, he'll be okay,” Jack said.

Ana let him in, and he went upstairs to Fareeha’s ’s room. Jack peeked around her bedroom door, and grimaced at what he found. The girls had ganged up against Jesse, despite being the oldest. Lena and Fareeha sat on his chest, while Olivia badly applied makeup on him. Jack laughed softly, but not quietly enough. Four pairs of eyes were on him immediately, and the girls abandoned Jesse to pay attention to Jack.

Olivia looked up at Jack. “Where's daddy?”

“He's in the car. C'mon, guys, we shouldn't keep him waiting,” Jack said, ushering the kids out of the room.

The kids were excited, rushing off to grab their raincoats and their backpacks. Jack felt dread fill his body, realising the kids would see Gabriel's broken leg and freak out. What if they developed a fear of roofs? What if the kids end up too protective and refused to go to school? He sighed, trying to shake off the built up anxiety. While the kids were distracted, he turned to Ana.

“Thank you. Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without you,” he said.

“You're welcome,” Ana said. “I thought you asked me to pick the kids because you two had gotten into a fight.”

“Come on, do you really think--” Ana gave him a look. “Fine. Good point.”

She put a hand on his shoulder. “If you need anything, don't hesitate.”

Ana, out of anyone, would know how much Jack hated this. However, she didn't know how much he had come to tolerate the situation, rather than endure. That was a secret he could keep to himself. He herded the kids to the car, and took the family home. The kids didn't take any notice of Gabriel's leg, not until they got home. They all fussed over Gabriel, getting him whatever he wanted, and he was loving the attention. Jack rolled his eyes, but he laughed.

Gabriel was made to sit down, his leg on the leg rest, while the kids surrounded his leg. His cast was covered in doodles and messages to get well soon, all crudely done, but they were only kids. They had drawn an uneven box, and within that box was nothing. Not a line, not a scribble, just a blank canvas.

At least the kids were finally quiet. Olivia had a pen cap in her mouth, and Jesse had somehow covered his face in pen. Lena stuck her tongue out, concentration solely on Gabriel's leg. The only sound in the living room was the gentle scratches of pens against Gabriel's cast, and the occasional click of a lid. When finished, the kids took a step back, admiring their handiwork. Though the drawings were crude, they were cute, and far better than anything Jack could have done. Olivia turned to him.

“Jack!” she called, waving him over. “We left you a space!”

Ah, that explained the blank space. Jack rose from his seat and crouched down, getting a good look at the cast now. Every little drawing was so full of life, full of love, it felt wrong to invade that space. But he wasn't invading - he was being welcomed into that space. He glanced up at Gabriel - God, it felt wrong being crouched like this in front of him - asking permission with a look. He nodded at Jack, and he grabbed one of the pens - a nice blue.

God, what could he even write? Something nice, of course, but he wasn’t sure what. Too loving, and it didn’t feel genuine. Not loving enough, and the kids would be worried. He tapped the end of the pen on the cast in thought, before finally settling on a simple ‘get better - love, Jack’ with a little heart. Short, sweet, to the point. The key part here, as well, was that it raised no alarms with the kids.

The kids, satisfied with their efforts, ran away, leaving Jack and Gabriel alone. Jack glanced up at him, and now, it felt even weirder to be crouched in front of him like this. He grabbed Gabriel's hand, squeezing gently. Gabriel didn't make him let go, which surprised Jack.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked.

“Yeah. Just a bit shaken up over it, still,” Gabriel admitted quietly.

Jack exhaled slowly. “I'll make some tea, help calm you down.”

“What, your piss water from the microwave?” Gabriel laughed.

Jack shrugged. “It's not that bad.”

Jack got up to make tea anyway, regardless of what Gabriel said. If he didn't drink it, Jack could have it. Regardless, it was a win. He got into the kitchen, about to pour water into a couple of mugs, when he noticed something on the stove. He clicked his tongue in mock annoyance, still smiling. Of course Gabriel had gotten him a kettle. What better way to give this bad boy a shot than for them to drink together?

With the kettle whistling, Jack poured two cups of water out for them, then dropped the tea bags in. Jack loved his impromptu gift, and appreciated the hell out of Gabriel for it. He came in with two mugs in his hand, and a big smile.

“Do you like it?” Gabriel asked.

“I really do, you know. Now all I need is a tea cosy, and I'd be all set,” Jack joked.

“I know you're kidding, but that can be arranged.” Jack shot him a look. “What? I'm good with my hands. I used to make all sorts of shit when I was married.”

That caught Jack's ear. “Married?” he asked. Gabriel shrunk a little, the humour in his demeanour vanishing. “I… yeah. I  _ was _ married. A bit of a long, sad story, though.”

Jack frowned, but he didn't say anything. He knew when something meant ‘no more questions’, and knew when not to push. He sat down with his cup, taking a sip. The silence between them was awkward, but not awful. It was certainly an improvement to just a few months ago.

***

While Gabriel was feeling a little down about his leg being in a cast, Jack thought a nice gesture would be to make something. Could Jack bake? Hell no. Was that going to stop him? Again, definitely not. Still, he was making brownies anyway, and quietly hoped they wouldn’t completely cremate. Hopefully, Gabriel liked brownies. If he didn’t, he could go fu--

“Jack, what are you doing?” Gabriel asked, poking his head around the kitchen door.

Jack jumped, sprinkling flour all over the counter. He sighed, wiping his forehead, coating it even more in the dreaded white powder. He turned to Gabriel, who made no effort to hide his laugh. Gabriel gestured to his forehead, and Jack wiped it again, realising why his husband was laughing.

“It’s a surprise. Go make sure the kids don’t set the house on fire,” Jack said, turning back to the mess he had created.

“It’s not the kids I’m worried about, honey,” Gabriel said, moving away from the door.

Jack rolled his eyes, scooping up flour and throwing it in the bin. Immature. Gabriel seemed to think him incapable of making anything without burning it, but really, he used to cook all the time when it was just Jack and Lena. No, he never baked, but brownies seemed easy enough to bake. Who could fuck brownies up?

With the batter mixed, the brownies in the oven, and the dishes washed, Jack left to go and take a shower. He was still covered in flour and, honestly, he felt gross. Washed, and dressed, he settled downstairs on the couch, reading a book to pass the time. He thought that, if he watched TV, he would become too engrossed in the show. However, he became engrossed in the book, instead. Just one more page, one more--

Wait, could Jack smell burning. He checked the time; the brownies should have come out about a while ago. Oh, for fuck’s sake.

He went into the kitchen, and a cloud of smoke hit him in the face. Well, that wasn’t good. He pulled his shirt over his nose and mouth, eyes squinting through the pain. He turned the oven off and then opened the window and the back door. He had to open the oven door, getting the worst of the smoke out. Don’t tell Gabriel, don’t let him know that Jack had burnt something in here.

Jack aided the process by grabbing a towel and wafting it out of the windows. He coughed and choked, but at least it was finally going away. He looked up at the ceiling, up at the smoke detector. Stupid, useless, malfunctioning thing. At least it happened now, instead of when it was an actual emergency. Jack would need to sort that out.

“Jack,” Gabriel shouted, “what the hell is that smell?”

“Uh...” Well, he could lie, or he could be honest with Gabriel for the first time ever. “Nothing, just-- the neighbours are probably having a barbecue.”

Gabriel hummed, but didn’t say anything else. Jack had successfully wafted out the smoke, and now all that remained was taking the brownies out of the oven. He took them out and frowned, poking the charred mess with a knife. Brilliant, he had made charcoal - his baking skills really  _ were _ that bad. He left the room for a moment, but when he came back, Gabriel was standing in the kitchen.

Jack sighed; he just had to poke his nose in. He should have been sitting down, but no, he just had to hobble in. Gabriel looked into the tray, before laughing, and turning his attention to Jack. Oh boy, here it comes.

“Christmas is a little off, isn’t it? I didn’t think I was bad enough to deserve coal.”

Jack groaned. Of course he would make that shitty joke. “Fuck off, I was trying to make brownies.”

“You made burnies, instead,” he said, making Jack laugh.

“You really are an ass, aren’t you?” Jack rolled his eyes.

Gabriel grinned. “Yep, and you love me.”

He hobbled out of the room, and Jack grabbed a spatula to try and pry off the coal from the tray. Pshh, yeah, okay Gabriel. Whatever helped him sleep at night. He scraped off chunks of brownie, lost in thought. Something about loving Gabriel got caught in his head, like a bit of food stuck in his teeth. Jack tried to shake it off, but it was proving difficult. Just because their relationship was getting better, it didn’t mean anything. Jack was just getting fixated on the wrong thing.

But when Gabriel broke his leg, holding his hand like that felt real. Being his husband felt real. For the first time ever, the affection between them felt  _ real _ . The spatula broke in Jack’s hand, realisation hitting him in the gut. He had fallen for Gabriel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God I'd forgotten how much I loved this fic until I skimmed through it chapter by chapter while posting... it's great.
> 
> Anyway! Don't forget to check me out on [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com)! See y'all on Thursday


	4. Chapter 4

The best thing about Gabriel in a cast? It made him far more approachable, and people kept coming over to make sure he was okay. There was always someone over, someone to talk to. Someone they could subtly pry information out of. Gabriel would have been more upset over this if it wasn’t helpful to them, but a steady stream of guests wasn’t something to sneeze at.

Jack still went on his outings with ‘the girls’, whether he liked it or not. Oh, who was he kidding? Despite being designated the ‘gay best friend’ of the group, he still had to admit he loved the gossip. Also, he was developing quite the taste for fruity cocktails, something he wouldn’t admit. When Gabriel left, and Lena wasn’t around, he could totally drink margaritas. Good God, the women really were turning him into a gay best friend.

A lot of the information they got were rumours, but rumours could easily be chased up. Scraps of information were carefully brought up with the neighbours it concerned, acting like they were concerned for the neighbour rather than being nosey. Sure, they couldn’t always be sure whether or not they were being lied to, but it was more than nothing.

“What if I stood on the corner of the street with a sign like ‘give me drugs’?” Jack laughed.

“I’m sure you’ll get arrested before you can even get out of the house,” Gabriel scoffed.

“Is that so? Are you gonna be the one to put me in handcuffs, then?”

Gabriel completely ignored him, instead filing away their evidence into their folder. Jack could admit to himself that he had gotten a little  _ strange _ since he realised his feelings, and he wondered if Gabriel had caught on. Probably, the man was a detective, and could probably smell these things from a mile away.

Jack buried his face in his hands. “This is going nowhere.”

“It does feel like it, does it?” Gabriel frowned, putting a hand on Jack’s back. “But we can figure this out together, Jack.”

Jack exhaled softly, nodding. It just felt hopeless in the thick of it, but in reality, they were getting closer. Though, it did become more and more tempting to ask the neighbours about the local drug baron and get it over and done with.

That was the thing, though - did Jack really want this over? Ask him a month ago, and he would have been clawing for the exit, but right now, he would have been content like this for a while longer. As long as Gabriel was happy with it, but he likely wasn’t. He watched his husband get up, press a kiss to the top of his head, and leave the room. Gabriel didn’t have to kiss him, but he had gotten into the habit of doing so, even if it was just them.

His heart hurt every time Gabriel showed him a bit of affection. Jack would have said something - he was a grown-ass man - but there was too much going on right now for him to think about it. It was likely just unresolved sexual tension, he knew that, but he felt like it was only getting worse.

A year ago, Jack would have laughed at the idea of Gabriel having children. Now, he could see why he was married, once upon a time - who couldn’t feel something for Gabriel?

***

Halloween was coming up, and Jack was dragged to the fabric store. He was incredibly bored, and couldn’t understand why they couldn’t just buy costumes. He rolled his eyes as Gabriel picked between two shades of black - two shades that, to Jack, were the exact same. He just wanted to make Gabriel pick something so they could go home.

Halloween in the Reyes side of the household was like their Christmas, and Jack was well aware of it. Gabriel liked to show off his costume of the year at word - which was always well made - or pictures of his house. Not only that, but his desk would be decorated with ‘spooky’ crap, which Jack always frowned at. Now that he knew Gabriel a little more, it was charming.

Or it was, until he was stuck at the fabric store for an hour, and they’d barely looked at anything. Yes, Jack had been monitoring the time, the only thing that was keeping him sane in this fabric-coated hell. He wanted to bang his head against a wall, but with so much fabric around, he wouldn’t do any damage to himself.

The even better part was that Gabriel was still on crutches, meaning Jack was the one who had to carry stacks upon stacks of fabric. God, he just wanted to die right then and there. After an eternity, and swapping out fabrics, Gabriel picked ones he liked, and they paid. With everything in the car, Jack was just looking forward to getting home.

“So what’s wrong with store bought costumes, anyway?” Jack asked as he pulled out of the parking space.

“It doesn’t have the love in it, Jack. Are you telling me that you’d prefer a store bought costume over one lovingly made by your doting husband?” Gabriel asked.

Lovingly? Doting? Those were not words Jack would have used to describe Gabriel. Jack just laughed at him, shaking his head.

“Something’s telling me you just want to put your hands on my body,” Jack hummed.

“Oh come on, not every gay guy wants a piece of the straight guy,” Gabriel said.

Jack snorted. “What about a piece of the bi guys?”

Gabriel paused, glancing over at Jack with an unreadable expression. “See, that’s different. I stand a shot with those,” he said with a shrug.

“Then you stand a shot with me.”

The words came tumbling out of Jack’s mouth before he even had a chance to think about it. He hissed a breath through his teeth, pedal to the metal, both of them trying to pretend that never happened. When they got home, Gabriel went straight up to their room, and Jack was courteous enough to bring up his sewing supplies.

Jack took a look at Gabriel’s sewing machine, likely older than either of them. Holy shit, Gabriel could still run that thing? It looked like a slight bump would have made it fall apart. Jack frowned, and left Gabriel to it.

Jack couldn’t help but sneak peeks at what he was doing, though. Every time Gabriel caught Jack snooping, he threw something to close the door. Damn, way to say ‘go away’ in style. He was sure that if Gabriel could have gotten up, he would have slammed the door in Jack’s face personally. All he wanted to know was what the kids would be going as.

He was caught by surprise when Gabriel had measuring tape around his neck, approaching Jack. He grimaced, taking a step back with his hands raised defensively.

“What are you doing with that?” Jack asked.

“You’re gonna have to do me a favour and lie down on the bed so I can measure you. I can sit next to you, then,” Gabriel said. “I need to know your measurements.”

“I knew it, you just wanted to get me into bed,” Jack laughed, making his way upstairs.

“I share a bed with you every night. Trust me, getting you  _ into _ bed isn’t the trick. Just get on the damn bed, Morrison.”

Gabriel tried his best to sound annoyed, but Jack could tell he was amused inside. Jack did as he was told, lying down on the bed as Gabriel awkwardly shuffled next to him. He huffed and groaned, trying his best with what he had.

“The kids are easy, I can just sit for them,” Gabriel said, “why the hell do you need to be so damn tall?”

“We’re the same height,” Jack reminded him.

He knew Gabriel rolled his eyes, before getting back to measuring him. Satisfied he got what he needed, he got up and hobbled back to the wad of fabric.

“So, do I get to know what I’m going as?” Jack asked hopefully.

“You know the drill, Jack,” Gabriel replied. “Out.”

Jack grumbled, leaving the room and closing the door behind him. At least Halloween wasn’t far away. And the days flew by. Every day, Jack could hear that damn sewing machine from downstairs. He also heard Gabriel shout, presumably having broken down again. Jack left him to it; he wasn’t going to get involved with something he didn’t know anything about. Even if he tried, he would have soon been kicked out.

Halloween had finally arrived, and with it came the costume reveals. Jack was nervous - what if he hated his costume? He would have to give him the grimaced ‘thank you’ to seem polite. No, come on, have some kind of faith.

The kids’ costumes were revealed first; Olivia was a witch, Lena was a zombie, and Jesse was a cowboy. Apparently, Jesse went as a cowboy every year, but Gabriel liked to spice things up by trying to make it spooky. This year, he was a vampire cowboy. He could barely speak through his horrible fake teeth, slobbering everywhere, and he thought it was hilarious.

Okay, Jack thought it was funny, too, but he didn’t say anything.

Gabriel was busy putting makeup on Olivia for him to notice Jack scuttling off upstairs to grab his costume. He felt like a kid at Christmas, opening up the closet and rifling through the clothes. But when he couldn’t find it, he turned around. Jesse stood at the doorway, a smirk on his lips.

“Dad knew you’d be lookin’,” he said. “It’s downstairs.”

Jack rolled his eyes. Dammit, he was being schooled in patience by a literal child. Defeated, he went back downstairs, where his costume was waiting for him on the back of the couch. Gabriel laughed at him, shaking his head.

“You’re worse than the kids, Jack,” Gabriel said. “You’d better like it.”

Jack picked up his costume and ran off upstairs, excited. He stripped off immediately, and then examined the costume. He pulled a face, confused, until he realised. He snorted as he put it on, then examined himself in it. Nice - undead stuntman, with the fabric ripped in all the right places. Jack smirked, looking himself over.

He came downstairs, showing himself off to the family. He felt a little ridiculous, yes, but he would feel even sillier if he was the only one not visibly enjoying themselves. Jack looked over at Gabriel, who smiled, but looked a little nervous.

“I love it. Thanks, honey.” He grabbed Gabriel's face, kissing his cheek. “How did you know I liked this kind of shit?”

“Lucky guess,” Gabriel shrugged, kissing Jack’s face.

Jack turned away quickly to hide the quickly forming blush. “C’mon kids, we should get going--”

“Jack, where are you going? I need to put makeup on you, sit down,” Gabriel said.

Jack wanted to argue, but he had a point. He just wanted to run away quickly. He sat down nicely on the floor by Gabriel’s feet, eyes closed, letting him do whatever to his face. Jack just hoped Gabriel wouldn’t catch the flush of his cheeks, hoping the makeup would hide that away. If it showed, then Gabriel didn’t say anything. Finished, he held Jack’s face in his hands.

“Looking good, Jack. Go get ‘em,” he said with a soft smile.

Something so simple shouldn’t have made his heart thump so hard. How could Gabriel be so charming? It must have been illegal. Successfully charmed, Jack got up and put his shoes on, trying not to stumble over something and hurt himself. His shoes and the kids’ shoes were on, and now they were finally ready for Halloween.

“Good luck with the kids,” Gabriel said.

“Please, I can handle  _ our _ kids, it's the  _ neighbours _ I'm worried about,” Jack laughed. “Don't get mauled by sugar-hyped kids.”

And with that, he herded their kids out the door. Jack felt a little bad leaving Gabriel by himself, but someone had to take the kids. It would have been nice to sit on the couch and watch scary movies together, pretend to be scared of the fake blood and fake gore. Jack pushed that thought out, instead focusing on looking after all three of the kids. He never had done this alone, always had Gabriel by his side. But, it couldn’t have been that hard, surely.

If the neighbourhood had a Halloween contest, the ‘Colimar’ family would have won by a landslide. The placements were Gabriel's idea, but as he had come down with a sudden case of broken leg, Jack offered to put them up for him. The outside, as well as the inside, was decorated with all kinds of Halloween items. Ghosts, pumpkins, spider webs; Gabriel knew how to do things right. Jack had never felt the Halloween spirit so strongly in his life. He was impressed with their efforts, even if no one else in the neighbourhood didn't care.

The kids ran around him, excited. Costumed satellites in orbit around the tired man. They kept trying to dash ahead, and Jack had to keep calling them back. They listened, likely because he threatened a candy ban if they didn't. Though, he did wish the excited circling would end. He truly wished he shared the energy of his kids.

A few neighbours expressed interest in the family's costumes, and Jack had to try to hide his smirk. He was proud to admit that they were made by his loving and doting husband, despite a broken leg. That look of utter jealousy in the neighbours’ eyes felt a little too good, and Jack made a note to tell Gabriel about it. No doubt that he, too, would have been proud.

Thankfully, by the end of the night, the kids were exhausted. After running around, getting a small sugar rush, and touring what felt like the whole town, they all demanded to be picked up. There were three kids, and one Jack. With the help of a neighbour, he managed to hoist Lena onto his shoulders, and Olivia was snuggled into his arms. This meant Jesse would have to walk, and despite being the oldest, he huffed worse than Lena.

When they got home, they all just wanted to sleep, but refused to admit it. Three cranky children made for one very unhappy Jack. He was tempted to send them to bed with their makeup still on, but that would ruin the bedding. Instead, he had to beg them to sit still long enough to get just  _ most _ of it off. Even when he did send them to bed, they dug their heels in. Jack just wanted to cry.

After far too long, the kids were finally willing to get to bed. He tucked them all in with a kiss on their forehead, lights off, and went back downstairs. Gabriel had stayed out of the way - there wasn't much he could do, and he would have just let them stay up - sitting in the living room with the TV turned low. Jack sat down, and Gabriel opened up a bottle of beer. On the coffee table sat another one, untouched and unopened, and Jack grabbed it along with the bottle opener.

“Who said that's for you?” Gabriel asked.

“It's mine now. You can't drink two beers at once,” Jack snorted, cracking open his beer.

“I can damn well try,” Gabriel said, echoing his laugh.

Jack settled on the couch, feet up with Gabriel's. They clinked their beers together, celebration for a good night over and done with. Gabriel was watching some trashy Halloween movie, where the effects were terrible and the action was lacklustre.

“So, small news,” Gabriel said. “It might be nothing, but I had a good few trick or treaters tonight. A lot of parents. Not all of them were sober, if you get what I mean.”

Jack frowned. “What you're saying is we might have a lead.”

“Well, that, and there's some seriously shitty parents around here. Who brings their kids trick or treating while high?” Gabriel shook his head.

“Yeah, it's fucked up. Just goes to show, every neighbourhood has its dark spot,” Jack sighed. “But, a lead is a lead.” Gabriel nodded in agreeance.

They could formulate a plan tomorrow. As for now, they both just wanted to relax. Gabriel leaned against Jack, just a little. It may have just been his imagination, but he didn't care. He smiled to himself, enjoying the small bit of affection offered.

“Happy Halloween, Gabriel."

“Yeah, happy Halloween."

Come the morning, it felt weird taking down the decorations, but Halloween was over. The costumes were put away and the decorations boxed up for next year. As he taped them up, Jack felt a pang of sadness in his heart. This was their only Halloween together, and he knew no other Halloween would feel like this. But no matter, he was an adult.

Jack was ashamed to admit he wasn't enough of an adult, though. As he put the bags of candy away he had taken a piece from each and ensured it was none of their favourites. He would have felt a little worse about it, had he not caught Gabriel doing the exact same thing. He shrugged, before hobbling away, and Jack could only laugh. They were as bad as each other.

With the festivities over, there was only one thing left to do - work. The pair sat at the dining table, formulating their next move. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Forgetting to update on Thursday and almost forgetting now? It's more likely than you think! Oh God who let me post. I'd have updated yesterday but I figure, since it'll end next week anyway, it doesn't matter? Uh. Anyway.
> 
> Check me out on [Tumblr!](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com)


	5. Chapter 5

Jack wasn't working as hard as he could have been, and he knew that. In truth, he was trying to delay it just a little, not that he would tell  _ anyone _ . He tried to play it cool and casual, but he knew his antics had not gone unnoticed.

Gabriel grew more and more frustrated with him. The number one rule was to never fight in front of the kids, a rule they both abided by no matter what. No snide comments, no animosity. However, kisses and affection became an afterthought for both of them, instead of something that came naturally. In private, it halted almost completely, and while it hurt, it may have been better this way.

Jack wanted to stick together, just for a little while longer. It was selfish, but they both knew they were getting so close to the end. Jack could lie to himself and say it was for the kids, but he knew it was more for himself, too. His stupid crush was only getting worse, and he knew he had to tell Gabriel. Unfortunately, after pissing him off so thoroughly, that made things a little more difficult. Jack could keep it to himself - he had a handle on his feelings.

Or he did, until he saw Gabriel flirting with the married man next door.

Jack's heart snapped in two. Gabriel was flexing, showing off his muscles, laughing, and looked over at Jack. He didn't get a chance to see Gabriel's expression before going back inside. The good thing about this was that it gave Jack the kick in the ass he clearly desperately needed. The bad thing was, his heart felt absolutely shattered. The front door opened shortly after Jack came inside. He covered his face with his hands, sucking in his breath, before uncovering his face and turning to face Gabriel.

“Alright, Jack, enough is enough. Why the hell are you being like this lately?” Gabriel asked, arms crossed on his chest.

“Like what? I don't know what you're talking about,” Jack said.

“Okay, first of all, you're barely working. Second of all, you looked like I had just kicked you in the balls out there. What's the problem?” Gabriel took a step closer, and Jack took a step back.

“No, I've just-- with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, I've been distracted, that's all.” Jack grabbed his keys and pushed past Gabriel. “I have errands to run.”

“You just came back from-- Jack, get back here and talk to me like an adult!”

Jack wasn't proud of himself for running out like that, and he knew he had to face it eventually. But not now. He took a small drive, just something to clear his head. What he was doing was he was wrecking his chances with Gabriel, whatever small chance he may have had. But he was stupid, sad and selfish, and nothing was going to change that.

Jack got back home and just sat in the car for a little while. He didn't want to go inside, not yet, not until he felt like he was able to be an adult about this. Maybe that meant never going in, staying in the car. No. Jack shook his head and finally got out of the car; he needed to get in there. Unfortunately, one of the neighbours - Michelle, his ‘best friend’ - spotted him. She called him over with a frown, and Jack tried to say he didn't have time to come in, but she wasn't listening.

She ushered him in and sat him down, bringing in snacks and drinks. Jack sort of wanted a margarita, but driving under the influence? No way. He was happy with just soda, anyway. The clock ticked in the background, the only sound in the room. Jack sipped his drink awkwardly, trying to think of an exit.

“I appreciate your hospitality, Michelle, but I really should be going home,” he said. She grabbed his hand, stopping him from going.

“Talk to me,” she sighed. “I know something's wrong.”

Jack didn't want to spill his secrets to a near stranger, and he shook his head. “It's just work stuff, I promise, I'm fine. You know how it is.”

This seemed to satisfy her, for a moment. She didn't let go of his hand, instead stroking her thumb along the back of it. Michelle smiled at him, and though it was a genuine smile, there was something that he didn't quite like about it. He glanced over at the door - he could just run out, unless she was secretly a spy, but Jack couldn't rouse suspicion.

“I know how you feel, and it's so tough.” She squeezed his hand. “Wanna know my secret when I'm feeling like that?”

Jack nodded, and she got up, moving to another room. That door was becoming more and more tempting, but before he could say fuck it and run, he heard footsteps. Michelle came back, hands behind her back and a sly smile on her face. She dropped something on the coffee table; a small baggie containing white powder. Jack frowned, alarm bells ringing in his head. He knew what that was.

“What is  _ that _ ?” Jack asked.

“It's just cocaine. What, are you suddenly going soft on me?” she laughed.

Jack did not expect that. He gulped, staring down at the little bag. Okay, he could bullshit his way out of this situation. She smiled at him expectantly, like Jack would be happy.

“Where did you get that from? There's some bad shit in Leaf Park, I just wanna make sure you've got the good shit,” Jack said. Great, he had outed himself as a coke user, despite never taking the stuff in his life.

She laughed. “I know someone, someone who only deals the good shit.” She hummed. “I don’t know if I should even tell you this, but it’s from Fat Paul.”

Jack tried not to react, but it was so hard not to. He didn’t expect this, not out of the blue. His gaze moved away from the cocaine, back up at Michelle. Jack knew this was pure luck, and he needed to take his chance.

“Fat Paul, huh?” Jack hummed. “See, I’ve heard about him, but I never know where to find him.” Play it cool, Morrison.

“You can find him pretty easily at the docks, normally.” Michelle rose an eyebrow. “Are you gonna try some or not?” The way she spoke was like she had offered him cake.

“No, I-- I need to pick up the kids. Gabriel can’t drive yet, gotta stay sober.” Jack got up. “But, thanks for the offer. I really should get going, though. Thanks for talking to me, I feel a little better.”

Michelle frowned. “Any time, hun.”

Jack wasn't exactly lying; she had distracted him into forgetting why he was upset. When he got back to the house, he grimaced, but opened the door anyway. Gabriel was on the couch, watching TV, and Jack already knew he was going to be ignored. That was fine. Jack sat down next to Gabriel, receiving a frown in response.

“Found out where Fat Paul is hiding. It's in the docks - how did we not see that coming?” Jack laughed half heartedly.

“Good. Glad to have you back on the ball,” Gabriel replied, not bothering to look over at Jack.

Jack scratched the back of his head. “Look, Gabriel, I--”

“Save it, I don't really care. I'm an idiot who thought that, by now, we were friends. My bad, I forgot our relationship is purely business.” Gabriel sighed softly. “It's fine. Just spare me the speech.”

Jack wanted to argue, but he figured, what was the point? He frowned, watching TV in absolute silence with Gabriel. He should have just explained himself anyway, to hell with it, but he didn’t. He wished he had, though.

***

Their relationship became amicable at best, and Jack hated it. He wondered what would have happened had he been honest about his feelings. Would things have been like this? Worse? Better? Jack didn't know, and he would never know now. This was better than making things worse, he supposed, but it made thanksgiving a little awkward. Jack kept hoping the kids never noticed, but he knew they weren't stupid; they could sense tensions.

Jack and Gabriel carried on as normal as much as possible. There wasn’t much different, but Jack no longer spent his evenings with Gabriel. He missed hanging out with him, but instead, he read upstairs in their bed. This was probably for the best, but it didn't make things any easier for Jack. Back on his selfish bullshit, he supposed.

Jack usually took the kids to school alone - with Gabriel's broken leg he still couldn't drive, and with things the way they were, it was better this way. The kids usually chattered the whole way, play fighting and bickering. Jack left them to it unless they really were hurting each other, but it wasn't often. It was when they were quiet that Jack worried the most, and that was when he knew they would ask something he didn't want to answer.

“Are you guys gonna get a divorce?” Jesse asked.

The shock almost sent Jack crashing into a lamp post. He sighed, forcing himself to relax and forcing a laugh. He looked back at them in the rear view mirror, and his heart broke. The three of them looked so worried; kids that young shouldn’t be so worried over their parents.

“What?” Jack laughed. “Of course not.”

“Liar,” Olivia spat. “You don't talk.”

“You frown when you look at each other,” Lena added.

“Just tell us the truth,” Jesse said.

But Jack couldn't tell them the truth. First of all, it was against the mission, so even if they were old enough to understand, Jack couldn’t say anything. Secondly, he knew the truth would hurt them. He couldn't even say that they were having problems, just in case that made them worry even more. Jack would just have to lie straight to their faces.

“Of course not. We still love each other very much,” Jack frowned. ”Nothing is wrong, I promise.”

Jack didn't know if the kids really bought it. He never got a chance to ask. He dropped them off at school and drove straight home, though his head was full of concerns. Kids were perceptive, but this just made Jack wonder if anyone else had caught on. The mission couldn't afford to be compromised, not now, but if they didn't put in the effort for this charade, then of course it wouldn't work.

Jack threw his keys on the hook and rushed into the dining room, where Gabriel was looking things over. He glanced up at Jack, then back to the papers. Alright, Gabriel was still mad at him, and he could understand.

“The kids think we're getting divorced. Can you believe it?” Jack laughed weakly.

“I can, when that's exactly what's going to happen,” Gabriel said.

“You don't seem concerned,” he frowned.

“I'm not, because I know it's almost over. Sit down,” Gabriel gestured at a chair.

Jack sat down, only for Gabriel to slide a folder at him. He opened it up to photos and documents he had never seen; photos of the docks, of Fat Paul and his clients. Jack couldn't believe this - the fruits of their labour were right there, almost in reach.

“Thanks to you, we now know where to look. I get my cast off next week, and then soon, we'll take our shot,” Gabriel said.

“Rushing a little bit, Gabriel,” Jack huffed.

“No, rushing would be sending you in there alone. I want this over as much as you do, Jack.”

If that was the case, then Gabriel would have put it off for as long as possible. Jack bit his tongue, putting everything back in its place in the folder, and sliding it back at Gabriel.

“Your leg isn't gonna be right, though.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “That's why I'll be backup, but I trust you could do it alone.”

Jack laughed. Gabriel barely trusted him. “Are you just putting this off because of Christmas?”

“A little. And because, you know, I can't fucking  _ walk _ .”

Even still, Gabriel gave a short laugh - it was nice to see him laugh, for once. Jack got up, grabbing their mugs, before wandering off to the kitchen counter. He put the kettle on the stove, before turning back to Gabriel.

“This means you can come to the mall with me next week,” Jack said, getting a frown in response. “What? You trust me to make your kids happy?”

“Good point, but you're gonna have to carry me and my shit leg,” Gabriel snorted.

“You big baby. Fine, I'll carry you like a princess.”

“It's all I've ever asked for.”

***

With the kids at school, Jack and Gabriel could go to the mall. Gabriel's cast had come off a couple of days earlier, and they were both conscious he would need to be careful. This meant Jack had to carry everything, and constantly going back to the car to put things in the car.

There was someone at every corner trying to sell them something; perfume for that special lady, or food samples they hoped you would buy, and one especially brave lady approached Gabriel for a free manicure. Of course he took it, forcing Jack to sit there and listen to the woman try to sell them various products. Jack had no interest in buying anything, but Gabriel seemed to want to. That is, until after they left. He flashed Jack his hands with a proud smile.

“See, Jack? If you just listen to people, they'll do whatever you want.” Was that a jab at him? Probably. Gabriel held out a hand to Jack. “Touch it, see how soft it is.”

Jack hesitated, before running his fingers on the top of Gabriel's hand. Alright, he had a point, his hands were soft as hell. Gabriel had a cute smile on his face as he watched Jack. When he was done, he pulled his hand away.

“See? Soft.” He held out his hand again, but this time for Jack to hold. He didn't grab it initially, confused. “We're in public, we're supposed to be a married couple,” Gabriel reminded him.

Jack laughed as he grabbed Gabriel's hand. “You just want an excuse for me to get jealous over how soft your hands are.”

Gabriel laughed, squeezing Jack's hand. Well, it wasn't a no, but Gabriel really did have the softest hands, and Jack was a little jealous. Walking through packed shops was a little easier when tethered by their hands, and Jack held on pretty tight.

If there was one thing that made this trip worth it, it was watching suburban moms fighting over the last of one toy. Thankfully, it wasn't one on the list, so Jack and Gabriel could laugh over it. Their list began to dwindle, and the car became filled to the brim with presents for everyone they could think of. Jack had never seen the car so full before. This was just what happened when one was part of a big family.

“Thanks for coming with me, Gabe. I'd be screwed without you,” Jack said.

“No kidding, but I got a hand massage out of it, so it's not all bad.” Gabriel wiggled his fingers. “My hands feel ten years younger.”

“You’re acting like a kid,” Jack snorted. “Good to see you in high spirits again.”

It was only when they were half home that Jack realised he had completely forgotten Gabriel's gift. He had no idea what he could even get for him; he already has everything he wanted. They got home, and Jack helped unload the car. With everything put in the bedroom, out of the kids’ sights, Jack scratched the back of his head.

“I need to uh… head back out,” Jack mumbled.

“Forgot to get me something?” Gabriel asked.

“Pshh, no, I've got what I wanted to get you. It's for… my sister,” Jack muttered, quickly scuttling away.

He heard Gabriel hum, disbelieving, and Jack laughed. Fine, fine, Gabriel had caught him, but he wasn't going to tell him. He got back to the mall, just as packed as it was before, and gulped. He wasn't going to find anything good, but he still wanted to try his best. He wandered through shop after shop, uninspired. After knowing Gabriel for a good while, Jack should have known what he liked. In truth, he knew nothing. This was pathetic, and he felt pathetic.

He found the fabric store, but he couldn't just get Gabriel a reel of fabric for Christmas. Well, he could, but Gabriel was picky with fabric, and Jack knew he would mess up. He wandered in anyway, hoping it would somehow inspire him. At least this shop was mostly quiet, compared to the bustle outside, and Jack felt a little more at peace. He was enjoying the tranquility, and even if he didn’t buy anything, he welcomed the break.

Now that he was really looking, he realised just how out of his depths he was. Thousands of shades of the same colour thread, a hundred different types of fabric, and enough needles to make an acupuncturist proud. Okay, no, Jack had no idea what he was doing in here. He turned on his heel to get out of there, when an item caught his eye.

A shiny sewing machine sat on a display, with all kinds of buttons and switches. Gabriel's sewing machine was simple, old, barely functional. Jack lost count of the amount of times he heard Gabriel swear at his machine. This would have been absolutely perfect. He smiled to himself, grabbing one of the boxes and bringing it over to the counter. Thankfully, they did free gift wrap, so Gabriel would never accidentally find out what Jack got for him.

When he got home Gabriel was untangling tinsel and Christmas lights, his tongue poking out a little in concentration.. Garlands of tinsel hung on the back of the couch Gabriel was sitting on. Jack laughed softly, putting the box under the bare tree. Gabriel looked over at him, a knowing smile on his lips.

“Back from not buying my present, huh? Then you can help me decorate.”

Jack pulled out more tinsel, working to unravelling it. He dreaded having to do this, but at least he had another man in the house to help. Jack really could have gotten used to this, having someone with him. Jack looked over at Gabriel; all he wanted was his husband, though. Gabriel caught him staring, and he quickly looked away.

As soon as the decorations were untangled, it was time to put them up. Gabriel did a nice job with his side, and while Jack tried his best, it wasn't up to Gabriel's high standards. He laughed, fixing up Jack's side just a little. At least he was mobile now, and didn't demand Jack to do it himself. He took a step back, and grinned at Jack.

“You're a mess,” he said.

“Yeah, but I'm your mess,” Jack shrugged.

There was a moment's pause as they both realised what Jack just said. Gabriel's eyebrows shot up, and Jack felt the fight or flight instinct kick in. Luckily for him, it was almost three.

“Time to get the kids, I'll see you later,” Jack said quickly, almost sprinting out of the door.

One day, he would say something. That day was not today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot what plot 90% of this fic is those two jerking around tbh... I'm not even sorry
> 
> Come check me out on [Tumblr](vehicroids.tumblr.com)! Last update on Saturday!


	6. Chapter 6

Christmas morning arrived, and Jack sank deeper into the blankets. The kids were still asleep, and Jack could enjoy a few extra minutes of sleep. He smiled to himself, content and warm. Unfortunately for him, his husband had other plans. He felt a heavy weight shift over him, and he could feel Gabriel grinning at him. Jack brought the blanket over his head more, groaning louder. As if that would deter Gabriel, though.

“Jack, it's Christmas,” Gabriel sang.

“Yeah, and the kids are still in bed.” Jack peeked out from the covers. “That means we get to sleep a little while longer.”

Gabriel moved off Jack, and he was relieved. He relaxed, closing his eyes. Maybe he could go back to sleep for a little while longer before the kids woke up, he thought, snuggled into the blankets. In one swift movement, the blanket was swept off him. Jack yelled, trying to grab the blanket, but Gabriel wouldn't let him.

“Hey, you're up! Might as well stay up.” Gabriel hopped off the bed, stopping to kiss his temple. “Merry Christmas, Jack.”

Jack flopped back down onto the mattress, defeated. He knew this meant the kids would soon wake up, and Jack didn't really want to get mauled by kids at-- wait, what time was it? He looked at the clock. 5:32 AM. Gabriel was so fucking dead that it wasn't funny. Jack eventually rolled out of bed and shrugged on his bathrobe, before going downstairs. He was so tired, so grouchy, and it wasn't even really Christmas yet.

Gabriel was in the kitchen, singing to himself. The coffee burner was on and the kettle sat on the stove. He was grabbing something from the fridge when the toaster popped, startling both of them. He sighed softly, carefully plucking the bread from the toaster.

“Just one slice, something to keep us awake,” Gabriel said, buttering the toast. “The kids won't be up for a while, anyway.”

“What makes you so sure?” Jack asked.

“Olivia and Jesse know the rules, no getting up before seven. I like some peace and quiet first thing, it's almost like a Christmas present to me.”

Gabriel finished buttering the toast, handing Jack a small plate. He mumbled a thanks, taking a bite. Good God, he was already so tired.

“If you wanted peace, why did you wake me up with you?” Jack asked.

Gabriel turned away, taking the kettle off the stove. “Can't a man want to spend time with his husband?”

The sincerity of his tone caught Jack off guard. He tried to catch Gabriel's expression, but he refused to look at Jack. He grabbed his cup and moved into the living room, leaving Gabriel alone for a moment. It wasn't long before he joined Jack, coffee and toast in hand. They watched the blank screen of the TV for a little while, before Jack looked over at him.

“So, what are we doing?” Jack asked.

“Well, I don't know about you, but I'm waiting for you to turn the TV on - you have the remote.”

Jack looked at his side of the couch and, lo and behold, there was the remote. He turned the TV on low, tuned to some shitty holiday special. It took a moment to realise what was on -  _ Santa With Muscles _ . Jack groaned, but it beat sitting in silence.

“So, you're done being weird?” Gabriel asked. “Back to friends?”

“I never wanted to stop being friends.” What Jack wanted was more, though.

“Fucking Christ, Jack. Why do we keep doing this?”

“Fuck knows,” Jack laughed softly.

That was exactly why they would never work; they were just too different to be good for each other. Jack needed to remember that. He put his feet up on the footstool, making the most of their remaining childless time. They sat close to each other, pretending to be engrossed but, in reality, neither of them really cared.

7:00 hit, and they could hear the giggles from upstairs. Jack knew this was the end of their peace. Thunderous footsteps echoed down the steps, shouting in excitement. Jack and Gabriel got up to greet their kids, picking them up and pulling them into big hugs. Jack never wanted to forget this wholesome feeling, the warmth of a bigger family - he could have almost cried.

As soon as the kids were put down, they rushed to the presents like released wind-up toys. Jack and Gabriel watched torn paper fly everywhere, realising the mess it would make. Jack grimaced at the thought, but Gabriel held his hand reassuringly. With each present, they exclaimed in excitement and joy, running over for hugs if it was from Jack and Gabriel.

The presents quickly thinned out, until it was just things for Jack and Gabriel. The moment Jack had been waiting for. He pulled out a present from under the tree, holding it out to Gabriel.

“Ah, my not-present,” Gabriel snorted.

He took his time unwrapping it, trying to guess what it was, first. But when he did, his jaw dropped, and Jack didn’t know if that was good or not. Gabriel looked between the box and Jack, silent, and Jack was nervous.

“If I overstepped, I'm sorry, I didn't think. I just saw your old machine, and thought of you when I saw this one,” Jack said.

“I've been meaning to get one for a while but… I never expected this, and definitely not from you,” Gabriel said quietly. “Thank you, Jack. This is really sweet.”

He put the box down and shuffled over to Jack, pulling him into the tightest hug. Jack held him just as tight, like letting go was the worst thing in the universe. Gabriel smelled of a heady musk, Jack realised as he buried his face in his shoulder. Jack never wanted to let go, he wanted to get lost here forever.

Jack was the one to break the hug, looking into Gabriel's beautiful brown eyes. He gasped softly, never noticing just how warm they were, shining like a topaz. He cupped Gabriel's face in his hands, and he looked at Jack, stunned. It was all an act, that was what he could say if Gabriel asked. The thud of his heart and the butterflies in his stomach was a feeling he could never fake, though.

He pulled Gabriel in, pressing their lips together. Gabriel made a small noise of surprise, but he kissed him back, hands on Jack’s neck. He could hear the kids making gagging noises, but it didn't matter to Jack. Nothing else mattered in that moment. He broke the kiss, giving Gabriel a smile, before standing up.

“Who wants breakfast?” Jack squeaked.

Six hands went up, yelling in excitement. Jack hoped they would never have to talk about that.

***

Jack hated January weather; cold, wet, miserable. He liked rain, but in winter it became a little dull. There was only so long one could sit at a window for, staring out in melancholy, before even Gabriel called him out for it. Jack had every reason to feel under the weather; their plan was finally coming together, marking the end of their marriage. Gabriel was excited, but Jack was not.

The kids were back at school, but they wouldn’t have been at that school for much longer. Breaking the family up would break everyone’s hearts; the kids would resent their dads, but nothing stopped the families from still being friends. They just wouldn't wouldn't be a family anymore. The sentence alone broke Jack's heart. This was what he wanted all those months ago, and his past self would have been jumping for joy.

Oh, how time changed people.

One positive - this meant that months of hard work had finally paid off. Jack would be the one to go to Fat Paul, unfortunately unarmed, and hopefully do business. He needed to draw as little attention to himself as possible, no matter the fear that entered his being. He would have money stashed in his wallet, and Gabriel would wait nearby, listening on a wire. That was their plan - thankfully, with connections to Michelle, Jack would never seen suspicious.

“You ready?” Gabriel asked.

“As I’ll ever be,” Jack hummed. “See you on the other side.”

“Don’t-- don’t say that, you idiot. You make it sound like you’re gonna die,” he sighed.

Dying was a very real possibility, but it was something neither of them really wanted to think about. Jack was terrified, though - he didn’t like going into places unarmed. It should be fine, Jack kept telling himself, he was fine. He had Gabriel for back-up, and there was no way things could go wrong with Gabriel there.

Jack pulled up at the docks, taking a deep breath. He got out of the car, going to the meeting point Michelle told him about. There, he found Fat Paul. Despite the name, he wasn’t especially large, but he was old. The hair on the top of his head was thinning, and he gave Jack a toothless grin. Something about him unsettled Jack, even if he had no idea who this man was, he would not want to approach.

“Paul, right?” Jack asked.

“Yeah,” he drawled. “And you’re Jack, yeah? Michelle’s told me ‘bout you.”

“Uh, yeah, she told me about you, too. Said you can get the good shit,” Jack said.

Paul huffed a laugh, sending a chill down Jack’s spine. “You don’t think I don’t know who you are, yeah?”

Jack tilted his head in confusion, the man still laughing. His hand instinctively reached for the gun in his holster, remembering suddenly that it was no longer there. Alright, now he really wished he had his gun.

“Jack Morrison, yeah? See, I can lead my own investigation, after Michelle told me about you.” Paul pulled out a gun, expression twisted into a grimace of a smile. “I don’t play nice with cops, yeah?”

Every drawled-out  _ yeah? _ grated on Jack’s nerves, clenching his jaw and keeping his mouth shut. He held his hands up in the air defensively, trying to look innocent.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he whispered. “I don’t know who you think I am, but--”

“Shut up. I don’t do liars either, yeah? I don’t have time to play with you. I ain't gonna get caught, not by some dipshit who can't even come armed.”

Jack didn’t get a second to react. A  _ bang _ sounded in his ears, deafening him. It took a moment for him to register what happened. He put his hand over his stomach, holding it back up to examine it. Blood. Lots of blood. He groaned, falling to his knees. Where was Gabriel? Where was anyone? He keeled over, eyes closed, knowing this was his end.

The world around him was fading. Soon, he would lose consciousness and, without help, he would die. Jack kept his hand over his stomach, moaning, when someone turned him over, grabbing hold of his free hand. Warm brown eyes looked down at him, shining with worry. It was Gabriel, squeezing his hand like letting go would kill him.

“Stay with me, Jack,” Gabriel whispered.

“M’not dying, jackass,” Jack coughed a laugh, and Gabriel shook his head. “But, on the off chance I do…” Jack squeezed his hand. “Look after Lena. She really loves you, and… And I do, too.” He tried to smile at Gabriel.

“Shut the fuck up, Morrison.” His voice was his usual grouchy self, but broke at the end. His grip on Jack's hand didn't loosen. “You're okay. Help is on the way.”

Jack tried so hard to stay conscious, but the world around him no longer made sense. He heard sirens, voices, but they sounded like they were at the other end of a field. The last thing he saw was Gabriel looking down at him, almost like the angel he was named after. Jack finally slipped into unconsciousness, the world around him black.

Jack woke up in hospital, a heart rate machine on his side beeping slowly. It hurt to breathe, but at least it meant he was alive. He took in a slow breath, relishing that fact - Jack lived. He groaned, eyes flickering open, taking in the scene. White, sterile walls, thin hospital sheets, and Gabriel at his bedside. He was asleep, but still holding onto his hand with an iron grip. How long had Jack been out for? Where on Earth were the kids?

“Gabriel?” he whispered, squeezing his hand.

Gabriel slowly opened his eyes, raising his head. He blinked once, twice, before realising. A wide smile spread on his face, relief evident in his eyes. Somehow, his grip on Jack's hand was even tighter, and Jack was certain his hand would break.

“Holy shit,” Gabriel sighed. “Part of me wondered if you'd ever wake up.”

“I told you I wasn't dying,” Jack laughed softly.

Gabriel laughed as well, holding Jack's hand close to his face. The affection was nice, genuine or not, it was very much welcome. He wasn't going to suggest that it was just them, that Gabriel could stop pretending. Jack just wanted to be as selfish as ever.

“So, what happened?” Jack asked.

“We did it, Jack. It's finally over.” Gabriel's smile was a little sad. “Back to normal.”

Jack sucked in his breath. He knew this was his last chance to say something, before they both parted ways. He looked straight up at Gabriel, straight into his eyes.

“Normal being, going home and going back to hating each other? Or normal as in, we keep going like we have been for the past few months?”

For the first time since Jack had known him, Gabriel was stunned into silence. He didn't see this coming and, truthfully, nor did Jack. They both knew what the kids would have wanted, and Jack knew what he wanted. The ball was now in Gabriel's court.

“What are you trying to say? You want to stay like this?” Gabriel asked.

Jack squeezed his hand. “I meant what I said, before I passed out. Gabriel, I love you.”

Gabriel exhaled slowly, taking it all in. Jack knew he was going to be rejected, and in that case, he could blame it on the medication he was on. At least he could say he took a chance. Gabriel did not release his hand, however.

“God,” he breathed. “Never thought you'd say that. I thought you were just delirious from pain.” Another pause, and Jack was just waiting to be rejected. “Fuck it. Let's see if we can't make it work.”

“Is that a yes?” Jack smiled hopefully.

“Yeah, it's a yes.” Gabriel brought Jack's hand to his lips, kissing the knuckles. “This is just so much at once. I thought I was gonna lose you.” Gabriel closed his eyes. “I've loved you for a while, and it's so weird but so right to finally say it.”

Jack smiled warmly at him, pulling his hand to make Gabriel come closer. He looked up at his husband, seeing him in a whole new light. Jack moved his hand out of Gabriel's, holding the back of his head instead. He pulled Gabriel in for a kiss, glad he could live long enough to take a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact - Paul is based off a man I knew. Also I'm dumb and didn't see I had an epilogue and I'm so DUMB so I'll post that in a sec


	7. Epilogue

Jack loved looking at the photos of his first marriage; his sour expression in some of the photos, and the memory of how unhappy he was. There were plenty of photos where he had fought with his husband, ending in cake smeared on each other. He could laugh now, remembering how that unhappiness did not last for long. He could remember falling for Gabriel so effortlessly, and it still made him smile to think about it.

So much had changed in those ten years. Jack had gotten married again, though this time, it was to the man he loved. He regretted no part in the journey that lead him to where he was now - a slight change could have ended in a totally different outcome. Jack loved his family.Jack retired from the force after getting shot. He always understood the dangers, but it didn't hit him until a bullet did. Now, he was happy enough working behind a desk, working to protect his family in a different way. He never feared death, he feared his kids losing their dad. He missed his job, but it was better this way.

The morning routine didn't change, not even in ten years. By the time the family got up, breakfast was made and sitting on the table. Jack always heard the whistle of the kettle from upstairs, smiling to himself. He was lucky; he had a loving and doting husband, even if there was one point when he didn't see it.

“Ah, look who's finally out of bed,” Gabriel mused, grabbing his head and kissing his forehead. “Good morning.”

“You're acting like I'm more than five minutes late,” Jack snorted.

“Well, considering the date, I hoped you'd be down here sooner.”

Jack paused. Wait, what was the date? He checked the calendar - 31st July. Of course, that was their first wedding anniversary. He rolled his eyes. He would never understand Gabriel's enthusiasm for celebrating everything. He was surprised they didn't celebrate the day Jack got shot, but that might have been a touch too dramatic, even by Gabriel's standards.

“I hate that you make me remember two anniversaries,” Jack grumbled. “Do we really need to remember the one for our fake wedding?”

“You mean, the whole reason we're together?” Gabriel snorted. “Yes, Jack. I made plans, don't worry.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “What plans?”

“You'll see.”

Jack would never trust those words. When Gabriel had something up his sleeve, Jack knew better than to stick around and find out what it was. Unfortunately, he couldn't just run from their anniversary. He spent the rest of the day on edge, wondering what sort of Hell Gabriel would make him endure. Jack loved him dearly, he did, but he never trusted mystery plans.

When it came to the evening, no one was home but Gabriel. He must've had the day off, then. Jack quirked an eyebrow, until he smelled dinner cooking. Oh, this must have been part of the mystery surprise. He put his keys on the hook, slowly making his way to the kitchen. He opened the door, and Gabriel was singing to himself while he cooked. He looked over his shoulder, a smile on his face.

“Couldn't wait, huh?” Gabriel chuckled. “Go sit down, it's almost done.”

Jack huffed, before going to sit down at the table. In the middle of the table sat a vase of flowers, nearly arranged. It was easy to forget he had married a romantic. Jack's idea of romance was giving Gabriel the last ice cream out of the freezer, which he realised was not romantic. Gabriel also realised Jack was not romantic, though, and was romantic enough for both of them.

Gabriel came out of the kitchen with two plates, and Jack was so hungry he barely cared what it was. He still very much appreciated the effort, and pulled Gabriel in for a soft kiss. As soon as he was told he could eat, Jack had to make an effort not to just shovel it down his throat. Dinner went down far too easily regardless, but Gabriel took it as a compliment.

“Thanks, Gabe,” Jack smiled. “I wish I could cook like you.”

“You could, if you tried,” Gabriel hummed, mostly joking, as he picked up the plates.

Jack knew he would have to wash up, but not right now. Peeking into the kitchen, he noticed the pots and pans were left to soak, and Jack was relieved. That was one thing less to worry about.

Gabriel came back out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish cloth, and put on some music. He threw the towel on the back of the couch, before holding his hand out to Jack.

“May I have this dance?” Gabriel asked.

Jack took his hand, letting Gabriel pull him closer. “I thought you didn't dance.”

“I also thought I didn't love you - I can be wrong, sometimes,” he said.

Jack laughed, letting himself be led into a soft dance to a slow song. Gabriel couldn't dance, but nor could Jack; he remembered when they remarried, how they had almost toppled into the cake. He laughed to himself, arms around Gabriel's neck.

“Feels like prom, except I'm not trying to impress some girl,” Jack mused.

“Doesn't mean you get to stop trying, honey,” Gabriel said.

Jack snorted. “For you? I'd never stop trying.”

Gabriel groaned, pushing him gently with a laugh. “You're so embarrassing. Be cheesy in your own time.”

Gabriel had his hands on Jack's waist, lazily swaying to the music. It really was just like prom, except they were about 20 years too old for prom, and far too underdressed. Jack pressed his forehead against Gabriel's, closing his eyes, a smile on his face.

“Happy ten years, Gabe,” Jack said.

“Here's to ten happy years. Or, happy enough.” Jack frowned. “Jack, I'm kidding. You know I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Jack pulled him in for a kiss, smiling into the kiss.

Jack Reyes liked to think he was a simple man. Give him beer, his three kids, and his home, and there was nothing that could bring him down. Especially when he had Gabriel Reyes by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S OVER AAAAAA thank you for reading!! ; o; This has been a joy to write ♥♥♥
> 
> Don't forget to check out both [Bonni](http://bonnini.tumblr.com/post/177140511193/these-are-the-two-illustrations-i-made-for) and [Alex's](http://lexsartsies.tumblr.com/post/177135034598/my-pieces-for-the-r76-big-bang-i-got-partnered) art!!! They're both so talented
> 
> And also don't forget to check me out on [Tumblr!](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com)


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